Madina Okot scored nine of her 23 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead layup with 1:33 to play, as visiting No. 3 South Carolina edged No. 22 Louisville 79-77 in an ACC/SEC Challenge game on Thursday.
The Cardinals led 75-72 with 2:27 to go before consecutive hoops from Okot moved the Gamecocks in front. A layup by Raven Johnson with 33 seconds remaining increased South Carolina’s lead to three. Louisville’s Imari Berry sank two foul shots with 23 seconds to go, and Okot hit 1 of 2 at the line with eight seconds remaining.
Tajianna Roberts missed a potential go-ahead 3-point attempt for the Cardinals, and the Gamecocks held on despite Okot going 0-for-2 at the foul line in the final seconds.
Okot pulled down 13 rebounds to pace South Carolina (8-1), while Tessa Johnson scored 20 points. Louisville (7-3) got 20 points from Roberts, 15 points and nine rebounds from Elif Istanbulluoglu and 15 points from Reyna Scott.
No. 2 Texas 79, No. 11 North Carolina 64
Jordan Lee scored 22 points as the Longhorns downed the Tar Heels in an ACC/SEC Challenge contest at Austin, Texas.
Madison Booker put up 18 points for Texas (9-0). Kyla Oldacre added 16 and Justice Carlton logged 11. The Longhorns trailed by seven points in the first quarter but pulled ahead for good by outscoring North Carolina 23-10 in the second period.
Indya Nivar registered 17 points, Elina Aarnisalo scored 16 points and Ciera Toomey amassed 10 points and eight rebounds for the Tar Heels (8-2).
No. 5 LSU 93, Duke 77
Six players scored in double figures for the Tigers in an ACC/SEC Challenge game at Durham, N.C.
Flau’jae Johnson put up 18 points, MiLaysia Fulwiley totaled 16, Mikaylah Williams and Amiya Joyner each had 14, Kate Koval logged 13 points and Grace Knox posted 12 for LSU (9-0). The game was tied before a 9-0 Tigers run late in the second quarter — the first five points by Knox — and Duke never caught up.
Ashlon Jackson paced the Blue Devils (3-6) with 16 points. Toby Fournier and Taina Mair each scored 14, Delaney Thomas had 12, Arianna Roberson chipped in with 11 and Riley Nelson produced 10.
No. 13 Ole Miss 69, No. 18 Notre Dame 62
Down by 19 points in the second quarter, the Rebels rallied to overtake the Fighting Irish in an ACC/SEC Challenge matchup at Oxford, Miss.
Ole Miss (8-0) closed the first half on a 13-2 run to get within eight, then produced a 9-0 surge late in the third quarter to move in front. Cotie McMahon led the Rebels with 22 points, and Christeen Iwuala paired 18 points with 13 rebounds.
Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo was ejected after receiving two technical fouls in the final seconds. She scored a game-high 28 points for the Fighting Irish (5-2).
–Field Level Media
